Sheriff Promises Crackdown on Burning Man Festival Crime

Receive the latest entertainment-news updates in your inbox

Passersby stop to admire Twilight Anima Rising, one of over 150 works of art dotting the Black Rock Desert during Burning Man, a week-long party and arts festival. About 35,000 people are camped in the a temporary city.

A Nevada sheriff is promising to crack down on any crime occurring in the Black Rock Desert at next week's Burning Man festival.

Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said he won't bend any rules for Burning Man visitors.

"We don't have the personnel to issue citations to 70,000 naked people on the playa, but we will be upholding the law to the best of our ability," Allen said.

The 39-year-old former deputy took over as sheriff in January. His predecessor was known for being relatively Burner-friendly and hiring retired officers to patrol the festivities, Allen said. He will have at least 31 officers on the playa, four more than last year. Last year, then Sheriff Richard Machado halted prosecution of marijuana possession charges during last year's festival, according to a U.S. Bureau of Land Management assessment.

Weird News Photos: Man Shoves Snake in Pants

Allen told the Reno Gazette-Journal that he will only enlist active-duty deputies and officers to ensure all are trained to take appropriate actions to maintain safety.

Festival organizers say they have been collaborating with Allen and aren't afraid of any clashing.

"We've been working with (Allen) since his election, and he's been involved with all of the large coordination efforts," Burning Man spokesman Jim Graham said. "It's an ongoing process on education, but he hasn't been out there for a few years, so he hasn't seen the progress we've made in recent years."